By Rabbi Dovid Caro
Rabbi Yehoshua Leib Diskin was the Rav in Brisk. In his later years he moved to Yerushalaim and became Rav of Yerushalaim. The Rav spent all his time immersed in learning. However at meal times when he would eat, many guests would join him at his table. The guests would receive a good meal, but the Rav himself barely ate. He sat at the head of the table, ate a minimum while immersed in his learning.
One day Reb Yehushua Leib stood up and walked to the end of the table and sat down. All eyes turned towards the Rav. It turned out that the Rav had noticed an older man sitting at the end of the table who had no teeth and was having difficulty eating the bread. The Rav sat down next to him, took the bread, carefully took off the hard crust and gave the man the soft inside.
After everyone left one of the Rav’s attendants went over to the Rav and said, “Rebbi, can I ask the Rebbi a question? The Rav was completely immersed in his learning, how did the Rav notice the man at the end of the table?”
The Rav replied, “you asked a good question. But why did you ask it only now, why didn’t you ask it at Parshas Vayeira?”
“What does the Rav mean?”
“In Parshas Vayeira the Passuk tells us that Hashem appeared to Avraham Avinu. We have no clue of the sweetness and greatness of a prophecy from Hashem. We can’t even begin to understand the meditation and connection between a prophet and Hashem during the moments of receiving a prophecy, the prophet is literally completely disconnected from this world. So how is it possible that during these holy moments, Avraham Avinu even noticed three people passing by and that he ran over to invite them? You should have had the question then!”
The attendant nodded. He had no answer.
“The answer is,” replied the Rav, “that when one needs to do Chessed, one sees!”
When Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, the Tzemach Tzedek of Lubavitch was a young man, he was staying with his grandfather, Rabbi Schneur Zalman of Liadi the Baal Hatanya. He was so immersed in his studies that he never heard his baby crying. The baby started crying louder and louder but the young father was so immersed in his learning he didn’t hear a thing. Finally the holy grandfather heard the crying from upstairs. The Baal Hatanya got up and came downstairs. When he came into the room, his grandson the Tzemach Tzedek noticed his holy grandfather. He stood up in his honor. But the Baal Hatanya walked passed to the baby, picked him up, held him and calmed the baby down.
The young father apologized to his holy grandfather and said, “I was so immersed in my learning I never heard anything.”
The Baal Hatanya replied, “my dear grandson, I know you never heard anything. But tell me, were you more immersed in your studies than me? Was I closer to the baby’s crib than you? No. But I want to tell you a very important rule in life. A Jew no matter what level they are on, however great they may be, it isn’t possible that they can’t hear the sound of another Jew crying, however small, however little the other Jew may be. And whatever great deed you are doing at that moment, you have to stop and lower yourself as much as you need to help the other Jew and quieten their cry.”
On a similar note we can understand the powerful words of the Chasam Sofer.
The Passuk tells us why Hashem loved Avraham Avinu. Because, he taught his household and children after him to follow in the ways of Hashem.
The Chasam Sofer explains that Avraham Avinu could have reached much greater levels in Avodas Hashem and prophecy if he would have secluded himself and spent all his time studying and meditating. But Avraham Avinu gave up his personal spirituality and lowered himself to the levels of his children and family to teach them the ways of Hashem on their level. By doing so he wasn’t able to reach such great levels of prophecy.
There are Tzaddikim who are tall like a cedar tree but they have no fruit, they are secluded and are busy aspiring greatness themselves. But then there are the Tzaddikim like date trees. They aren’t as high, but they are full with clusters of fruit. These Tzaddikim spend their time teaching students the way of Hashem and produce fruit that can produce fresh trees with more fruit.